


A Princess in the Making

by Olpgurl



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Princess Diaries Fusion, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, First Kiss, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26498947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olpgurl/pseuds/Olpgurl
Summary: Rey Skywalker has always been a no one.  Never the popular one, never the pretty one, never anything special.  Until the fateful day she meets her aunt Leia for the first time.  Queen Leia, in fact. And she goes from no one to Princess, heir to the throne of Yavin.   Then she finds out a detail no one bothered to mention - she needs to be married before she can become Queen herself.A Princess Diaries 1&2 fusion.
Relationships: Leia Organa/Han Solo, Poe Dameron/Rey, Rey/Other(s)
Comments: 69
Kudos: 61
Collections: Damerey Discord Shenanigans





	1. Family Secrets

The sound of sirens woke her up before her dad’s voice, reminding her she had class soon. She let out a groan, rolling over to snuggle further into her comforter. It finally took Dee’s insistent kneading to made her roll back over to get up. She gave the cat a scratch under the chin before slipping into the bathroom to get cleaned up. She looked at herself critically in the mirror; the boring straight hair, too many freckles, no curves to speak of. She would never be pretty. The thought came instantly, sounding too much like the girls from high school. 

But she was starting university; sure she was still living at home, but it was still a new world. She would have Finn still too; today would be a great day she told herself. A life-changing day, she could feel it. She resisted the urge to do something different the she had back then, wanting to be herself still. She put her hair up in three buns, the style a little bit more elaborate than she used to, but still her, before brushing her teeth and heading back to her room for some warm comfortable clothes to combat the new fall chill. Today would be better, it had to be. 

Dad’s breakfast was the usual too; pop tarts and cereal with a side of fruit. she never knew how he could have lasted this long into adulthood without learning how to cook, but she appreciated the effort. She grabbed the apple, taking a bite before noticing he had forgotten to wash it, and snuck it into the garbage when he was at the fridge pouring her a glass of juice. “You ready for your big day?” he asked as he handed her the cup. 

“Finn should be here soon to pick me up,” she replied after taking a sip. 

“You didn’t answer the question,” dad said, slight hint of a smile. 

“It’s going to be great!” she said with false enthusiasm. 

“Atta girl, fake it until you can make it.”

A horn sounded from outside, letting her know it was time. Today would a fresh start. She just knew something great would happen.

She twisted the staff away as her opponent backed up. “Enough for today?” she asked, panting slightly. 

Jess smiled, pushing a stray hair out her face. “Oh yeah, I’m done. Who pissed you off?” she teased.

Everyone. Everything. “Just a rough first day,” she replied instead. 

“Apparently,” Jess laughed. She nodded towards the door. “Hey, isn’t that your dad?”

She turned on her heel, the familiar sight of scruffy hair and too long beard greeting her. She gave Jess a wave, before walking over to her father. “Hey dad!” she said with a peck to his cheek. “Come to get your ass kicked by your kid?” she teased. 

“Well, when you didn’t come home, I figured you were here,” he replied. “That bad, huh?”

“It isn’t a normal day if I don’t screw something up,” she replied with a breeziness she didn’t feel. “Am I late for dinner? I thought you’d just get pizza from Maz’s.”

Luke Skywalker rarely looked nervous, her father always seemed to radiate a strange sense of calm. But her dad was fidgety, wiping his hands on his pants like a teenage boy on a first date. Or so she’d heard anyways. “Your aunt called me today,” he finally spoke. “She’s in town and wants to have tea.”

She could feel her eyebrows raise, her extended family was almost never mentioned. “She came all the way from Europe to have tea?”

“I think I do want to spar,” dad said instead, heading towards the mat she had just vacated. Dad was silent as he picked up Jess’ staff, testing the weight. She followed suit, standing herself across from him, waiting for him to make the first move. This wasn’t his strongest suit, she knew he had grown up fencing even if he no longer did. He merely tested her defences; she watched him cautiously, still waiting for him to make the first move. She grew impatient, needed to know what had him so riled. “So isn’t your sister like some big shot? What is she doing here, business trip?”

“I don’t know, that’s what worries me,” he replied, trying to jab her with the staff. “We lost contact when she married, her husband ... well he wasn’t a fan of mine,” he snorted, blocking’s her attempt to take a swipe at him. “I would like you to meet her, I want you to know her, but I have no idea if she’s changed.”

She feinted, swinging her staff to the other side at the last minute. She managed to connect with his thigh, but her small win felt hollow; dad was too distracted. “When?” she asked casually, going for her water bottle.

“Today.”

She found herself in an unfamiliar neighbourhood after they had gone home to clean up, her father gripping the wheel of their car as they pulled up to a large house. He was more nervous than he had let on. The house had a large secure looking gate, leaving her father to park on the street. “I’ll wait here for you,” he said encouragingly. 

It had the opposite effect. Why would her aunt want to see her, but not her own brother? She took a deep breath before walking to the buzzer. She heard the whirl as a camera focused in on her, the monotone voice trying to dismiss her. “I’m here to meet my aunt? Leia Organa?” she tried.

The voice changed, becoming almost apologetic as he directed her inside, the gate sliding open with a small creak. The walk to the house itself was brief, the door opening before she even reached it. She looked inside, the decor like something out of a magazine, making her afraid to touch a thing. It was nothing like her home, everything messy and comfortable. The butler who had opened the door escorted her to a couch, looking new and pristine, nothing like the fur-covered one at home. _I guess it’s true what they say about twins: complete opposites._

She didn’t have to wait long when a woman entered, talking rapidly into her cell phone. She couldn’t have been much older than herself, but she looked completely put together in that way some adults managed. A way she had yet to figure out. Or her father. 

With a brief introduction, Kaydel answered her burning question: where the hell she was. The Yavinese consulate? Weren’t those places for like politicians? She opened her mouth to ask when a beautiful woman, hair up in elaborate braids descended from the staircase. She had thought Kaydel looked put together, but the older woman carried a sort of dignity she had never believed possible. She came forward, a small smile on her face. It just made her nervous for some reason. 

The woman, her aunt she assumed, greeted her warmly before asking a question she had dreaded for years due to years of watching sitcoms. A question no one had bothered with before now with her complete lack of family. “Let me take a look at you.”

She smiled nervously before complying, giving a little spin. She awaited the insults; she knew she wasn’t pretty, she didn’t care about makeup and all those frivolous things girls her age were supposed to care about. To her surprise, her aunt was kinder, merely saying she looked young. No quite a compliment, but far better than the alternative. She tried to return the favour, almost kicking herself when the best she could come up with was clean. At least she hadn’t said the opposite and replied old. 

Kaydel was sent away to check on the tea, making her assume she was some kind of assistant. Her aunt asked her to sit, catching the others in the room also complying. She wasn’t good at this, small talk was not exactly a Skywalker forte; she and dad had tended to live a quiet life. She struggled to come up with a topic, the heavy gaze of her aunt felt palpable. “So dad said you wanted to meet me? Why now?”

Aunt Leia looked uncomfortable for a moment before hiding her expression. “We can discuss that later, once we’re having tea,” she deferred. Kaydel came back in leading them both outside. The backyard was just as beautiful as the rest of the house, a table and two chairs laid out for them. She prepared her tea, looking over at the bevy of servants standing by. She knew she and her father were comfortable when it came to wealth, but this place was a whole other level. 

“Rey,” Leia said to get her attention. “Have you ever heard of Benjamin Bail Lucas Amidala? He was the crown prince of Yavin.”

“No?” she replied hesitantly. “Should I have?”

“Benjamin Bail Lucas Amidala was my son. Your cousin,” Leia replied. 

It took her a moment to process those words. “So you’re saying ... my cousin ... one I didn’t ever meet ... was a prince?”

“Yes.”

“So that would make you what? Queen?” she said, holding back a nervous giggle. 

“Yes.”

“And my dad would be what? A prince too?” This time the laughter was impossible to hold back. This was unbelievable! 

“Yes, though he declined his right the throne.”

“My dad? King? Of a country?” Her mirth was impossible to hide at this point. “Okay, I’m starting to understand why I never met you guys.”

“I’m not entirely sure why you think this is amusing,” her aunt stated. “Your father, my twin, was heir to the throne of Yavin. He told my parents when he was quite young he wasn’t suited for the throne, so the responsibility fell to me. It was arranged that any of his children would still retain their rights should the need arise. Did you not know you are Breha Amilia Mara Amidala, Princess of Yavin?”

She stared at her aunt dumbly, she was pushing this too far for it to be a joke. “I’m a princess? Shut up!”

Leia nearly spat out the tea she was attempting to drink. “I beg your pardon?”

One of the servants thankfully stepped in, her head was too full of the idea. She was a princess? Her dad, the man who could hardly remember to comb his hair every other day was supposed to be a king? It seemed completely impossible, an elaborate joke, but ... the house, the servants, the lack of communication with her only family. Her father hadn’t wanted to come in to see his sister. One she knew he hadn’t seen in her lifetime. She hadn’t even known they were twins until this afternoon. The possibility that her dad was hiding something from her seemed higher by the moment. How did they afford their house? Dad never really seemed to do anything. He’d never had a job or even a home office that she could remember. 

“Okay, say I believe this ... why are you here?” she finally asked.

“My son ... he was a tad reckless. He was always a bit of a willful child, but I assumed he would grow out of it,” Leia began, the indifferent facade finally breaking. “I was unfortunately very wrong. He passed away several months ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” she replied, not sure what she could say about someone she’d never met. 

“Ben pulled away from me long ago, but that’s not the issue here,” she continued. “He was next in line for the throne and my only child. Now that he’s gone, Yavin needs an heir.”

“Okay but that doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”

Leia sighed. “As my niece, you are next in line.”

“What?” 

“You are next in line for the throne of Yavin,” Leia stated like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

“You?” she pointed at her aunt. “Want me?” pointing to herself, “to rule a country!”

“It’s in your blood,” Leia said simply. 

“But, I’m not a princess! I’m just a no one! I can’t run a country!”

“With the right help, you can,” Leia reassured. “You’re a smart girl, we just need to redirect your university studies to something more suitable for your position in life. And then we can work on the other matters over the summer in Yavin.”

“Other matters?” she asked in confusion.

“Well, there’s our traditions, comportment, style. All the things I doubt your father bothered to teach you. You should have begun this kind of instruction years ago, but we can manage with serious study while you aren’t in school.”

“So you want me to just move to Europe? What about my friends? And my dad?” she exclaimed, her tone bordering on hysterical. “I can’t just be what you want me to be!”

“Breha ...”

“My name is Rey!” she yelled, storming off to her father’s car. How had this become her life? 

The drive home was tense, her father more than capable of understanding how angry she was. She still couldn’t quite process what she had learned, it just didn’t make sense. She jumped out of the car the second it stopped, absolutely starving due to missing dinner. She banged around the kitchen, making herself a sandwich so she could escape to her room and think. Dad came in partway through her rampage, leaving her to ignore him. He sat at the island, just watching her. Making the situation impossible to ignore. 

“So for 18 years, you couldn’t find one spare second to tell me you were a royal?” she exploded. 

Dad just sighed; he must have resigned himself to this the moment her aunt had called. “I wasn’t meant for that life, but my sister was perfect. So I got out, stayed out of the limelight. I tried to be normal and it worked,” he explained. “I never expected ... this to happen.”

“Well it did!” she exclaimed. “So now I have an aunt I’ve never met wanting me to rule a country I know nothing about! And all because you never said a word!”

“Rey ...”

She finished up her snack, walking away. “We need to talk about this!” her father called after her. “Where are you going?” 

“To clean the royal bed-chamber!” she replied, stomping off. _We needed to talk about this years ago._

She ate in silence, Dee coming over to snuggle. And attempt to steal the meat from her sandwich. She hadn’t known what to expect when meeting her aunt, always just assuming there had been some sort of family rift that kept them apart. But the more she thought about it, the more questions came up. She would never figure this out on her own, finding out she was a Princess was strange enough, but being the heir? To an actual throne? Talk about the last thing she could have ever expected. And she still had to get through the rest of the week; it was only Monday. 

Dad came up while she was getting ready for bed, an early night’s sleep was what she needed after today. Sitting on her bed, he patted the space next to him. She sat down grudgingly, he wouldn’t leave until she heard him out. She knew exactly where she had inherited her stubborn behaviour from. 

“I’ve been out of contact with my sister for a long time, but I was going to tell you,” he started. “But then the news of my nephew’s death hit the papers and I was scared. I had no idea if she would even consider you for her new heir and the longer I went without hearing anything, the easier it was to believe Leia would choose someone else. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but I was trying to protect you.”

“Well, I don’t feel protected. I feel like my whole life is a lie!”

Dad just frowned, a deep groove settling onto his forehead before he got back up with a whispered good night. Collapsing back onto her bed, she reached for Dee, hugging him to her chest. “You’re so lucky you don’t know who your family is.”


	2. Makeover Madness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG guys, thank you so much for all the lovely comments on chapter one!!!

She looked herself over in the mirror. She didn’t look any different than yesterday. Not a soul would know just from looking at her that no one Rey was actually a princess. She’d never been one for fancy cocktail dresses and having been raised by just her dad, she didn’t know a thing about makeup or hairstyles. She was just a plain, ordinary girl. She gave one last sigh, knowing she couldn’t be what her aunt wanted to be; she just wasn’t the glamorous type. She couldn’t be a princess. 

The last thing she expected as she came down the stairs was her father and her aunt, deep in conversation. Dad has always been her world; she couldn’t stand the thought of him siding with this crazy scheme. “Rey, we need to talk,” dad said before she could rush off. “All three of us.”

“What? Any other surprises? I have a secret twin too, perhaps?” she huffed. “Or are you two just going to railroad me some more?”

“I know this is a lot to take in, but could you just hear us out?” her father pleaded. 

She nodded reluctantly, knowing this wouldn’t stop even if she wanted it to. “As I told you before, we have time,” Leia began. “I’m fortunately very healthy and my son’s ... passing means very few in parliament will dare say anything about the line of succession any time soon. That day will come, and I must have a plan in place before that happens. I’m not asking much of you right now, just to consider the possibility. We wouldn’t even have to present you until next year, I would assume.”

“I told you, honey,” her father added, “you’re much better suited to that life than I was. I think you should do it.”

“Well, I don’t!” she shouted. “Why should I take the advice of someone who’s ignored me for the last 18 years and another who’s been lying for that long?”

She didn’t want to hear another word. From either of them. This whole thing was insane; she could never be this polished, eloquent person like the royal families she’d seen on tv. She lost her temper at the drop of a hat, she wasn’t pretty or well-spoken. She was just Rey! If she was supposed to be royalty, they should have told her that years ago, not sprung it on like this. She turned around, rushing to her favourite spot. Her safe place for as long as she could remember. 

Their house was old, it had been built upon multiple times. And out of all of that, the upper level had been renovated into a large open space that her father had let her use as her bedroom. It had the added bonus of an extra staircase, leading up to the attic. She had also claimed it; the space had become her safe place to hide on those days the kids at school had managed to get through her skin. The downside was her father knew about it too, shouting at her through the sliding trap door. 

“Rey, just listen to me,” dad insisted. “We can do this as a trial run. One year from today, if you hate it, we’ll all agree to forget this. But you need to give it a try. A real one.”

She slammed the trap door open. “Why should I?”

Her father looked helplessly over at Leia. Her aunt took a step forward, looking regal in a way she knew she would never be able to accomplish. “You were correct, I have failed you as family. With all that’s happened, I would like to correct it, if you’ll allow me,” her aunt stated. “I believe with a little time and some concessions on all our parts, we can make you ready to take over as ruler of Yavin by the time you’re 25. With the added advantage of being a family again.”

She looked over at her father, seeing the pained looked on his face. The two of them had been alone for so long, the two of them against the world. It wasn’t fair, asking her to do this; to take up this mantle she could never even dreamed of, but it was what was. It wouldn’t hurt to just try it out, just for her dad’s sake, right?

“What do I have to do?”

It took weeks of back and forth, Leia leaving them not long after, wanting to keep the reason for her trip as secret as possible. She didn’t have to do much now, Leia simply asking that she looked into some political science classes next semester. And extensive reading into Yavin’s history and culture. Honestly, she just got that all from talks with her father. She was also under strict orders to not tell a soul. They couldn’t risk the press finding out, Leia needed time to plan how she would explain to the Yavinese parliament what she was doing. The hardest concession to accept was Han. 

The queen had said leaving her heir unprotected was non-negotiable. At first glance, Han looked a gruff grumpy jerk. He didn’t talk much, but barely let her out of his sight, and didn’t seem to have the slightest sense of humour. But after a few weeks, he eased up quite a lot, dad insisting he join them for meals when she wasn’t at school. They hadn’t known each other, Han joining the security team after her father had left, but they seemed to hit it off. 

“So how did you end up head of security?” she asked, wanting to get a better idea of who he was. 

Han merely shrugged, ever the talker. “Seniority.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, how did you end up joining them,” she huffed. 

“I was in the military,” he finally answered. “I didn’t do well with orders.”

“But aren’t you technically still getting orders?”

“It’s a little different when it’s Le ... her majesty,” he stumbled. 

Even her dad perked up around that. “She lets you call her by her name?”

Han shuffled around in his seat. “I’ve been her personal guard since she was 19,” he mumbled.

She filled the information away for later; she would need to know a lot more before heading to Yavin for the summer. She would need to understand where people fit in when she arrived. The idea was still daunting, but she was getting closer to accepting the idea. She still wasn’t sure she was capable of being a ruler, but she had promised to give it time and she would. But there was one thing that was getting harder as they moved closer to the end of her school year - keeping Finn in the dark. 

He was getting more and more suspicious. They were best friends; they had been since childhood. They were used to spending all their spare time together, studying together, but lately, she’d had to keep blowing him off to do her princessy things. Things she wasn’t supposed to even tell him about. Han had been enough of a lie; having a man follow her around constantly was not normal so she’d had to say something. It was a little lie, but as the weeks and months passed, she was more and more certain Finn wasn’t buying anything she was saying. And she still hadn’t mentioned her upcoming trip.

The final straw was the surprise her aunt sent. A stylist? Who gave their teenage niece a stylist as a present? Sabine Wren was the last person she would have expected from her aunt. The woman’s brightly coloured, two-toned hair and unique style didn’t give her any confidence. Her assistant Ezra at least looked more normal as he brought in racks and racks of clothing to add to the pile of suitcases.

She looked helplessly at Kaydel, another recent addition to the ever-growing team of Princess Breha. She just smiled reassuringly as the other two set up inside the consulate. Sabine placed her in front of an impromptu vanity, staring her down like she could find every one of her faults. She had heard the expression ‘beauty is pain’ before; she had never expected to have to live it. Two hours of poking, prodding, plucking, buffing, and a few other tortures she never wanted to repeat, Sabine spun her around to face the mirror. 

“That was the worst of it,” the woman promised, but her voice seemed far away. She still looked like her, surprisingly. Sure there were little differences, but Sabine had changed her look enough that it was noticeable. Her eyebrows were more defined, her hair looking a little sleeker, her skin looking brighter, her nails not looking chewed.

“Ready for the next step?” Sabine asked in a slightly teasing tone. The rest of the night was spent on makeup tips and clothing choices, feeling completely out of her depth. “Don’t worry, I’m sticking around.”

She did have to admit she had mixed feelings about the text from her aunt, Sabine insisting on tons of pictures as the process went on. ‘Better. Much better.’ was all she replied with. Had she really been that bad before? She gave herself one last glance in the mirror; she didn’t look all that different, did she?

Sabine had assigned her homework; she was to try out her new look this week, learning to get more comfortable with it. She got up much earlier than normal, Dee complaining loudly about breakfast. Her cat taken care of, she sorted through the huge pile of clothing she’d come home with, trying to remember what was supposed to be paired with what. Most of it was far too fancy for school, settling on an old pair of jeans with one of the new tops. She tried to put on the makeup like Sabine had shown her, doing an okay job. She would need more practice, that was for sure. Even with getting up earlier, she barely had time to grab something to go.

Her father was nowhere in sight and Han didn’t say a word about her new look, just smiling as they walked out the door, but it was Finn’s reaction she worried most about. He picked her up at the usual time, doing a double-take. “Who destroyed you?” he asked incredulously.

She sat down in the car, Han taking the back seat as usual. Finn was still looking at her, confused. “Oh,” she replied. “So you think it looks that bad?”

“You look like one of the people who spent years making fun of you for starters!” he exclaimed. 

She ignored his outburst, he did have a point. “Well, I just thought it was time for something different,” she replied, aiming for indifference. She was pretty sure she failed.

“Weird,” he mumbled under his breath. “Nice to know a makeover was what you blew me off for yesterday.”

“Seatbelt, Rey,” Han interrupted.

“Yeah, listen to your shadow!” Finn snarked, pulling the car out of her driveway. “I don’t know what’s going on with you anymore.”

His diatribe continued on the drive, her head pointedly turned towards the window. She knew he was telling the truth, she had been a bad friend lately, but she was going through something huge. Han put a comforting hand on her shoulder once they were parked, Finn stalking off ahead of them. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” he said aloud.

“Eleanor Roosevelt said that,” she answered with a small smile.

“Be like her. And your aunt. Your life is going to change pretty drastically and it’s not going to be pretty all the time,” he stated. “Keep your head up kid.”

She gave him a nod, following Finn towards campus. She wasn’t ready for all these changes, but she knew what Han said was very true. She had hoped Finn would be there for her, but she wasn’t exactly being there for him right now. They eventually caught up to him, his face still stony as they approached the building where their first class was. She called out his name, hoping she could fix this, even if Han wouldn’t approve of the method.

She called out his name again, and he finally turned. “What, Rey?”

She looked over at Han, hoping he would get the hint and give them a little space. He nodded grudgingly, walking a few feet away, giving them the illusion of privacy. “Look, I know I’ve been a bad friend lately, but there’s a lot going on in my life right now with family stuff-”

“Yeah, I know!” he cut in. “And I want to be a good friend, but you’re not telling me anything and it’s pissing me off!”

“I’m not supposed to tell anyone! That’s the only reason I’ve been keeping you in the dark!”

He turned around, moving to walk away. “Stop!” she whisper-shouted. “I’m trying to tell you, but I need you to keep it quiet. And not freak out.”

Finn huffed but turned around giving her an expectant look. She pulled him closer so she could whisper. “So you know my aunt came to visit, right?” He nodded. “Well, I may have left out the part where she’s kinda a queen. And I’m a princess. And sorta her heir.”

Finn stared at her blankly for a second, his eyes wide. “Shut! Up!”


	3. A Drive in the Country

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but between dcw, trying to be personal support Canadian for the Americans and my laptop dying, it's been a crazy few weeks!!!
> 
> So here's a little early Poe to appease you all

Finn was still staring at her, mouth open, eyes wide. “So that’s why you’ve been so busy? You’re what? Learning to what? Be a princess or royal or whatever the hell you call it?”

“I’ve been trying to deal with just knowing I’m a -” she looked around, before whispering, “princess. I have to learn like the entire history of a country I’ve never set foot in. And learn to be … dignified? Hence the -” she waved around at her new look. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone so you cannot say a word!”

He looked down at that. “So, I have the greatest secret ever and I can’t say anything?” Finn pouted. “How many guys can say their best friend is actual royalty?”

“No one!”

“Okay, so who’s Han? Really,” he added pointedly.

“My guard,” she shrugged. “With my cousin dying, my aunt isn’t taking any chances with me.”

Finn sighed, before looking at her critically. “Are you sure you can run a country? I mean, I’ve seen you try to cook. And your dad is kinda …” he trailed off uncertainly.

She just shrugged. “I guess I’ll find out this summer,” she added. “I’m kinda taking an extended vacation there, just so you know.”

“Do I get to visit?” he teased, bumping into her shoulder.

“What’s the point of being a princess if I can’t have a little fun,” she replied, bumping his shoulder back.

“Now, how do I use this to my advantage,” he grinned, steepling his fingers like he was Mr. Burns. 

“Shut up,” she replied, smacking him on the arm. “We need to get to class.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this? It’s … life changing,” Finn asked more seriously. 

“Honestly, I’m not sure of anything anymore.”

Things went more smoothly once Finn was in on the secret. Han looked at her in disapproval when they came back, but she just stuck her tongue out at him playfully. She did have to beg him later not to say a thing to her aunt, but he grudgingly agreed. Finn kept his word, the semester going smoothly. Or at least as smoothly as her life ever went. She kept her promise, looking into courses focusing more on politics and diplomacy for the remainder of the year. She was a little surprised she actually liked them, and even better, she excelled at them. 

But as summer approached, she became more nervous about Yavin. She’d never lived away from home before, not even summer camp. She couldn’t understand why when she was little, but it made more sense now. It was probably too big a worry for her father if she was out of his sight should the world find out accidentally. As the time to leave got closer, she could notice how much it seemed to strain him.

“Can’t you come with me?” she asked one night over dinner.

Han and her father exchanged a look that spoke volumes. “It’s better I stay away,” dad replied. “I was supposed to be king, remember? I don’t want it to look like I want my old position back. Until you’ve had your coronation, I need to stay away.”

She nodded glumly, knowing he was probably right. Yavin was in for some time of upheaval until everything was out in the open. And that was probably years away. If ever. It would all depend on how this summer went. But as the time approached, the more doubts seeped in.

“Han?”

“Yes, your highness?”

She couldn’t help but scowl at him; she hated that he wouldn’t just call her by her name. “What if I don’t want to run a country?” she began. “What if I just want … things to be like they were. Can’t I just tell everyone that I quit?”

“No one can quit being who they really are,” he shrugged. “Not even a princess. You can refuse the job, but you’re still a princess by birth.”

As much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. It didn’t matter much; they were leaving in the morning. It was far too late to back out now. The private jet seemed a little much, but she supposed she needed to get used to this. “Take care of Dee,” she whispered as she hugged her father one last time. Then she turned to Finn, hugging him tightly as well.

“Take lots of pictures, I wanna see this castle,” he grinned.

Han cleared his throat loudly. She rolled her eyes at her bodyguard. “I’m not going to post them on Facebook, relax.”

“I was just letting you know we need to leave.”

The flight to Yavin seemed to take forever, but they finally arrived hours later. Han pointed out the palace from the window, showing off her new temporary home. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before. At least in person. They were escorted to a car immediately, several men in matching suits surrounding them. It was weird to see them all defer to Han, so used to him working alone. She looked eagerly at her surroundings as they drove, getting her first real look at the country she was supposed to rule. 

The palace seemed to take up the entire view as they approached, the scale overwhelming her a little. More people flocked out the door as the limo got closer, taking luggage and opening doors efficiently. At least she saw the familiar face of Kaydel. She had come earlier in the week to ‘get things settled’ as she put it. 

This was just the beginning of her summer, barely having more than a moment to settle into the palace before being whisked away by Kaydel to meet with Leia for the first time in months. The queen led her to a beautiful sitting room, taking a seat beside her on the plush couch under Han’s watchful eye. Until the queen instructed him to move. She felt ridiculous as they sat together on the sofa, Han now seated ahead of them in another chair like he was driving them in a car. She had never expected to ever need lessons on how to wave, but that seemed to be essential in the queen’s eyes. 

“How is this helpful?” she asked again. 

Leia simply stared her down. She had little choice, but to put on a fake smile and wave as if there were a crowd outside staring at her. 

“No, no! Like this!” Leia said after a moment. The queen demonstrated. “You must acknowledge them gracefully. Keep the movement small because it does get tiring after a while.”

She tried again, admonished to be more gentle. “The wave is a sort of thank you for coming today.”

It took her a few more tries to get the motion down correctly, a few more to smile while doing it. “This is so easy!” she grinned once she finally received the nod of approval. “Princessing is a breeze!” 

Leia frowned in mock sternness. “Princessing is not a word, Rey,” she began. She rose from her seat, heading out of the room for a moment, only to return with several books. “I believe I know where we need to focus your lessons. Breha, I would like you to read these.”

Leia handed her book after book, her arms beginning to strain under their weight. Han was the most comforting, surprisingly. And particularly useful to carry the mountain of books she was expected to read. In a way, it made sense, she had spent months with him, unlike her aunt. He was always nearby as her daily lessons continued. Diction, posture, and manners now part of her daily studies. As did her lessons with Sabine who insisted they needed to perfect her style. She wasn’t entirely sure what that even meant let alone how she was supposed to have one all of her own. But hours of playing dress up with the most beautiful clothing she had ever seen was a little fun.

But Everyday was more of the same. Her days seemed to be a never-ending loop as she entered her aunt’s apartments for the day. Leia wasn’t already waiting for her like usual, giving her the chance to look over the pictures, artwork, and furnishings. This room looked nothing like hers, none of the modern comforts she had in her own. She looked over at the prominent pictures of her cousin; she saw him as he aged, looking dourer as he got older. The family pictures all but disappeared as he got closer to adulthood. Any pictures of him that were older seemed formal; like it had been a requirement for him to be there. She couldn’t help but feel a little glad she never got to know him.

Leia approached her from behind, a frown settling over her face. “Am I a bad mother for thinking this was for the best?” she mused. “Ben should have taken over as king long before he died, but he kept refusing the responsibility. Perhaps this was meant to be.”

She wasn’t sure how to reply to that, her own thoughts turning to the same thing. “I’m still not sure I’m right for this,” she replied instead. “He had a lifetime to get ready, I’ve only got a few years.”

Leia placed a hand on hers but seemed to think better of it, pulling her into a hug. “You’re already taking the responsibility more seriously than he did, Rey,” she reassured. “You’ll make a marvellous queen one day. And speaking of that …”

Leia finally pulled away. “Cancel all my appointments for today,” Leia stated turning to Kaydel, always nearby too. “I think it’s time Breha sees what she’s truly here for.”

She gave her aunt a watery smile. “Can we do that?”

“I’m queen,” Leia smirked. “I can do what I want.”

They decided to travel a little more incognito, giving her the chance to drive instead of Han. Not that he was pleased with the plan, insisting on following them. He refused to let the queen and the heir out alone. Even in Yavin. 

They toured the capital, the heavily tinted car their only real protection from the crowds on the streets. Leia pointed out several buildings and their importance, but it was a large farm outside of town that she ended up loving the most. 

There were few workers in view, the fields and trees all she could see. They were mostly ignored, giving her the chance to finally see Yavin’s most memorable symbol: the koyo. 

She had tried it, loving the fruit on her first taste. They put it in almost everything here, from sauces to ice cream. “This is our heritage,” Leia said, breaking the silence. “The land and the people who work it. They are what truly matter.”

“How do I know I can do this?” she whispered. 

“You don’t,” Leia replied. “I know this is overwhelming. It was for me and I was born and raised to take a role in the family. But you possess the qualities the people need in a leader. You just need to trust yourself.”

“How do I do that?”

“That you need to discover on your own.”

She nodded, too absorbed with her thoughts. She walked towards the fields, needing a moment to think. She felt too exposed, heading towards the treeline nearby. It was peaceful here, at least knowing enough about Yavin that she didn’t need to worry about being mauled by a bear. What she didn’t expect was the handsome man to stumble into view. 

His eyes widened at the sight of her. “Are you lost?” the smooth voice called out. 

She shook her head, turning mute at the sight of him. She had been raised in California, good looking guys were a dime a dozen, but he was the sort of beautiful that just stood out. He gave her a little smile. “Are you sure? Having someone get lost on the property wouldn’t go over well.”

Of course, she shouldn’t even be here. This was the politest way she’d ever been kicked out of a place though. “I should get back,” she managed to rasp out. “I’m just seeing the farm with my … well, the queen of the country which probably sounds a little nuts.”

He looked a little startled at the announcement, eyes widening slightly. “Should I tell the earl?” he replied. “I’m sure there’s something he needs to talk to her majesty about. He always does.”

It was her turn to stare at him in confusion. “Wait? This is someone’s house?”

He gave her a lopsided smile. “Yeah.”

“I should go!” she cried. “I’ve just been wandering around like …”

The man laughed. “It’s okay, I promise,” he replied. “The queen’s allowed to go to any of the noble’s houses basically. I guess you can too since you’re here with her and …”

He trailed off, looking a little uncomfortable. He was dressed casually, probably just some worker who suddenly found himself with what looked like a lost tourist. “I’m still sorry,” she answered. “I should go back anyway, or Han will have a fit. Thanks …”

“Poe,” he supplied. 

“Thank you, Poe.”

“Your welcome ...” he trailed off again.

She was an idiot! A flush rose in her cheeks. “Rey,” she replied. “I’m Rey.”

“You’re welcome … Rey,” he said again, smiling. 

She turned back the way she came, unable to keep from looking back at him. He was still watching her, intense look on his face. She flushed again at being caught staring, but he was a good looking man. Poe waved goodbye, a smirk on his face, making her turn back immediately. Maybe there were a few perks to being a princess if all the guys looked like this in Yavin. 

She found Leia and Han deep in conversation, wondering if they were mad she had disappeared. They turned to her on her approach, both looking almost guilty. “What’s up?” she asked. 

“We should head back,” Leia said instead. “I have no urge to see the earl today.”

Her aunt was usually composed, but Leia looked almost annoyed. She hadn’t met many people since she’d arrived, but she got the impression she needed to avoid the guy who owned this place. 

Poe watched as his father paced his office for the fifth time. He was getting a headache following him with his eyes. “Can you just sit down and tell me the problem?” he finally huffed.

Surprisingly, Kes listened, taking his seat behind the desk. “Tell me what happened. Don’t leave anything out.”

“What’s the big deal, dad?”

“The big deal is you told me Queen Leia showed up with a girl who looks far too similar to her,” Kes replied. 

“Yeah, and?”

“And?” dad exploded. “Do you not realize what this could mean for you? Did you forget the queen has a brother?”

“He’s not eligible!” he replied. “That doesn’t matter! I’m still the most natural choice for heir now that the prince is gone.”

Kes pulled out a file, pushing it across the desk angrily. “Is that her? There’s a picture in there.”

He opened the file, Rey’s smiling face looking up at him. She looked a little younger than she had today, but it was definitely the same person. “Yeah, that’s her. Who’s Breha Skywalker?” he read from the typed sheet attached to the picture.

“Luke’s daughter,” his father sighed, slamming down a hand on his desk. “The queen’s niece. We need to plan. I’m not letting this upstart take away your crown.”


	4. A Private Moment

It was nearing the end of the summer, her lessons going well according to Leia. It had almost been perfect if she was honest. Rey supposed she might actually like being a princess if this were what her life would be like. But the highlight of her summer still might have been her meeting a certain guy she couldn’t stop thinking about. They’d only met the one time, but she couldn’t get Poe out of her head. They hadn’t made another trip out to the farm, but she’d seen him in the palace a few times. He’d given her a wave each time, but they’d never had another chance to talk.

Then everything changed, Leia and Kaydel rushing into her room one morning. Kaydel turned on the TV, the station showing an old picture of her. It was only a matter of time before she was busted, but they hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. All of Yavin’s news outlets were showing her face thanks to an anonymous tip. Leia turned off the TV, frowning slightly. “Well, I suppose it had to come out sometime,” she sighed. “You’re not a normal girl, you were born a royal. Dealing with the press is something we need to bear with almost daily.”

Born royal or not, she definitely wasn’t used to this kind of attention. “So, what do we do?”

“I prepared for this, don’t you worry,” Leia replied. 

“A good answer, very diplomatic. Polite but vague,” she teased. “What’s the plan?”

Leia just smiled, looking a little devious. “Dancing lessons.”

“What?”

“I believe you mean ‘pardon’, my dear,” her aunt replied, as she swept out of the room. “Be ready in half an hour.”

She stretched, letting out a yawn as she forced herself to get out of the warm, comfortable bed. Her phone trilled, looking down at the display. Finn’s phone call was more than welcome after such a rude awakening, putting him on speaker so she could get ready. “Do you want a list of why you shouldn’t be a princess?” he teased. “You’d always have to look perfect. You can never say anything stupid. You …”

She laughed out loud. “Guess the news hit the US too, huh?” she cut him off. 

“Oh yeah. What does your dad think about all this?” he asked. “He’s probably going to get busted too.”

She groaned. “I haven’t talked to him,” she said honestly. “I just found out myself, it’s early morning here. I’m more worried about the people from school, they wanted me to finish before releasing the news.”

It was Finn’s turn to groan at that. “Maybe you shouldn’t come back.”

“There’s no way I’m leaving Dee alone with dad forever,” she sighed. “And it’s nice to know how much you miss me, jerk!”

Finn laughed. “You know I’m teasing! But does this mean you’re not coming home?”

It was her turn to laugh. “All I know is I’m supposed to be getting ready for dancing lessons of all things.”

By the time she made it down to breakfast, an official press release was put out, with little of her input needed. The Queen was going to handle any further press, so her princess lessons continued with a vigour. Particularly the dance lessons. Her other lessons continued but the urgency ramped up. With the news of her parentage coming out, their plans had to change. She needed to be officially introduced much earlier than planned according to Leia. 

“A certain member of parliament is causing trouble,” her aunt sighed. “We need to show them your dedication to the crown sooner than later. So, I believe a ball is in order.”

“A ball?” she questioned. “Like a real-life Jane Austen-esque thing? Shut up!”

Leia shook her head, but she couldn’t hide the slight smile. “We really must get you to stop saying that but yes. Why did you think I have you concentrating so much on dancing, dear?”

She had no idea what went into the planning of a ball, but her aunt insisted she be a part of her and Kay’s preparation sessions. Menus, music, guest lists, decorations were just the start. Small details like place settings and seating, the type of flowers and their meanings were beyond her, but apparently something she would need to learn. The list was becoming never-ending. 

To make it all worse, she hadn’t really met anyone yet in Yavin, save the staff. And Poe, she remembered with a blush. The names of the guests all seemed to have some sort of fancy title attached to their names. Duke this, Earl that, the right honourable so and so. For the millionth time this summer, she began to feel overwhelmed by the knowledge she was expected to learn, wondering if she really was up to this task. But Leia was patient with her, explaining the details she had probably learned when she was still a kid. She had so much to catch up on. 

Then they had to find time for fittings, Sabine and Ezra coming in to work their magic on a new gown. It wouldn’t be ready for a few more days, but Sabine promised it would be perfect for her debut. So now all she needed to do was perfect that dancing thing. Her dancing instructor Jannah had no problem taking advantage of Han’s habit of always being at her side, forcing him to be her partner. He put up with it. Barely.

Her father took the news of her coming out in stride, thankfully still being mostly ignored back home. He’d denied any interview requests that had come up, perfectly happy to let the spotlight shine on her and only her. Not that she had much time to worry about him, her days were jam packed as it was. 

As the ball approached, the staff was running ragged, cleaning and polishing everything in sight. She was honestly running herself a little ragged as well, but still found time to corner Han so they could practice some more. What she really wanted was something to occupy her mind; every worst-case scenario running through her head. Tripping on the hem of her gown, offending some dignitary, knocking her drink on the prime minister’s lap. Every situation got worse, making her think the night would end in disaster. She wanted to pull a sleepy Dee into her lap, petting him in hopes of a distraction. But that wasn’t an option with her cat still at home. The limbo of wanting the ball to start and wanting it over at the same time was driving her nuts. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

Poe was dragged along to the palace, his father wanting yet another ‘update’. The plan for him to take over was coming along, at least that’s what dad kept saying. Then the Queen pulled this ball out of nowhere, throwing everything off. Dad had counted on the news of the Queen’s new heir being rejected. He’d been so sure the people wouldn’t want the former prince’s daughter taking over as queen. The people of Yavin had done the opposite, rejoicing at the news. So, dad was back at square one, and his chances of being king were looking slim.

He wasn’t all that disappointed; he hadn’t grown up with the expectation of being king. But since Ben’s death, his father was determined. In a way it was nice to see him engaged again, dad had been so different since mom’s death. He missed his days at the palace when he was a kid, mom bringing him with her when she came to visit her best friend. They were cousins somewhere down the line, his genealogy lessons had been years ago, but his mother was the closest thing to a cousin the Queen had. And that meant dad believed his son was the next in line. Until Rey showed up.

He was fine turning the crown over to her, but dad had made a few good points. She wasn’t raised here; she was a stranger. Rey hadn’t been raised in Yavinese tradition; she might just change everything the country stood for if she became Queen. Her father had abandoned his birthright, who’s to say she wouldn’t do the same thing. The doubts were what kept him going along with the plan. He was raised to do what was best for his country and he wasn’t sure this woman was it.

Each time they came, he spotted her, but he never had the chance to talk. He wanted to know more, find out what kind of person she was. It was the main reason he let his father bring him. He doubted today would be any different, the palace was in chaos as they readied it for tomorrow. He headed for the ballroom out of boredom, the sound of music drawing him in. He hadn’t expected to see her tonight, but her smile was impossible to forget. Han Solo was leading her around the room as she laughed, waltzing through the staff as they set up the finishing touches.

The music came to an end, Rey stumbling slightly as they finished. Her laughter rang out again as she tried to right herself. Solo shook his head, saying something that made her nod. He watched the man walk away through another door, deciding it was his chance. Stepping into the ballroom was simple but approaching her wasn’t. He had no clue what to say to her, simply tapping on her shoulder to get her attention. Rey was startled, her arms swinging as she moved. Her heels just added to the mess, her balance completely off, tipping her over. He managed to reach her in time, his arms wrapping around her waist to stop the fall. She let out a puff of air, her hair flying out of her eyes. They widened as she took him in, face flushing in embarrassment.

“Not a fan of letting someone cut in?” he teased as he tried to help her right herself. “You’ll have to get used to that at the ball. I think it’s safe to say you’ll be popular tomorrow.”

Rey shook her head, face still a bright pink as she pushed her hair back behind her ears. “I was counting the steps,” she replied. “I thought I had the hang of this until I tried to dance in these heels. I’m pretty sure I’m screwed.” 

She was still perfectly unassuming, the last thing he would have expected after living a life of luxury for so many months. Every encounter with her left him more curious. “You don’t need to count the steps, just follow your partner and you’ll be fine,” he promised.

“My only partner so far has been Han and he counts the steps,” she shot back. “I don’t even get what you mean. I’m not good at this. At all!”

As undecided as he was about her, if he was going to win and become King, he wanted this to be a fair fight. Having her lose on her first night out just wasn't sporting in his books. At least that’s how he justified taking hold of her hand to put her into a waltz position. He would have thought it was impossible, but she turned even redder. “What are you doing?” she hissed.

“Teaching you to dance,” he replied. “The right way.”

He didn’t need the music; his mother teaching him the basics was one of his fondest memories of her. She had always loved this, doing everything she could to ensure he loved music and dance too. The steps were just muscle memory at this point, leaving him to concentrate on Rey. He straightened her arm, placing a firm hand on her back to correct her form. “Look at me,” he cautioned. “Don’t worry about anything else and just trust.” 

Rey managed a nod, throat feeling all too dry to try speaking. Han excusing himself, promising he’d be back in a few minutes felt like days ago. Taking a deep breath, she met Poe’s gaze head-on. His smile made her melt, all of her lessons before now escaping her memory as she felt him lead her into the dance. She was used to counting out the music, checking the placement of her feet with Han but Poe was telling the truth, she really didn’t have much to do at all but let him lead her. Other than giving her a few raised eyebrows each time she wanted to check her toes, they danced across the ballroom with ease. The hardest part since adding the heels had been stopping. But Poe held her back firmly as they finished, keeping her steady.

“See? It’s all about having the right partner,” he smirked as he let her go.

“I don't think I have a lot of choice in that at the ball,” she managed to squeak out.

“Then be sure to save a dance for me,” he added before turning to disappear.


End file.
